WebQoof Recap: Media Misreporting, Fake Claims Around Akhilesh Yadav & More
Read our weekly recap to find out the most viral pieces of misinformation from this week.
advertisement
From a fake letter being attributed to Turkey tourism ministry to an edited visual showing Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav with arrested YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, here are the most viral pieces of misinformation from this week.
1. Fake Letter Attributing to Turkey Tourism, Urging Indians to Visit Goes Viral
A letter purportedly shared by Turkey tourism ministry, which urged Indians to not cancel their plans to visit Turkey following its support to Pakistan, went viral on social media platforms.
Multiple news organisations like Financial Express, News18, Business Today, Economic Times, Zee News and OpIndia published reports on these claims.
Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism ministry confirmed to our team that they have not issued any such letter.
Read the full story here.
2. This Viral Image of SP Leader Akhilesh Yadav With Jyoti Malhotra Is Edited
A photograph showing Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav with YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has been arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan, was being circulated on the internet as a real visual.
However, we found that the viral image had been altered. The original one showed Akhilesh Yadav standing next to Dimple Yadav, when SP had launched its manifesto ahead of 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
Read our fact-check here.
3. Fact-Check: 2024 Video Showing Kanhaiya Kumar Attacked in Delhi Viral as Recent
A video shows a man striking Congress leader Kanhaiya while garlanding the latter was being shared on the internet as visuals from a recent incident.
However, the claim was false as the dated back to 2024 and showed Kumar being attacked while campaigning for Lok Sabha Elections.
Read the full story here.
4. Clip of ABVP Rally in Srinagar Falsely Viral as Tricolour Hoisted in Balochistan
A video which showed people carrying Indian tricolour in a huge rally was shared on social media platforms as recent visuals from Pakistan's Balochistan.
The claim was shared amid internal tensions in Pakistan, with calls being raised in Balochistan to become a separate country.
We found the video was from January of this year and showed a Tiranga rally conducted by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's (ABVP) Srinagar unit. This made the claim false.
Read our fact-check here.
5. Viral Images of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra Wearing BJP, AAP Caps Are AI-Generated
Following YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's arrest, a set of photos went viral on social media platforms claiming that they showed real visuals of her wearing Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party's caps.
However, both these images were AI-generated and weren't real visuals.
You can read the full story here.
(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9540511818 , or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)